Composer Gunther Schuller coming to Potsdam Nov. 11 to Nov. 15

Friday, November 9, 2012 - 5:45 pm

POTSDAM -- SUNY Potsdam's Crane School of Music will host the composer, conductor and performer Gunther Schuller as guest artist-in-residence from Nov. 11 to 15.

Highlights of Schuller's visit include a public panel discussion on music history and education Wednesday, Nov. 14 from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the Snell Music Theater and the capstone "Tribute to Gunther Schuller" concert at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 15 in Hosmer Hall.

Rehearsals on Sunday, Nov. 11 from 2 to 5 p.m. in room C119 and Thursday, Nov. 15 from 2 to 4 p.m. in Hosmer Hall will also be open to the public.

Gunther Schuller has developed a musical career that ranges from composing and conducting to his extensive work as an educator, jazz historian, administrator, music publisher, record producer and author. Schuller was principal French horn at the age of 17 with the Cincinnati Symphony, and rose to that position seven years later with the Metropolitan Opera. In 1959, he gave up performing to devote himself primarily to composition, and has since been rewarded with the Pulitzer Prize (1994), a MacArthur Genius Grant, two Guggenheim fellowships, the Darius Milhaud Award, the Rodgers & Hammerstein Award, the William Schuman Award from Columbia University, numerous lifetime achievement awards and is an original member of the American Classical Music Hall of Fame.

As a conductor, Schuller travels throughout the world, leading major ensembles from New Zealand to Holland to St. Louis. He has written dozens of essays and four books, and has served on the faculties of the Manhattan School of Music and Yale University; he was also, for many years, head of contemporary music activities (succeeding Aaron Copland) as well as a director of the Tanglewood Music Center, and served as president of the New England Conservatory of Music.

The tribute concert will open with works that Schuller performed with Miles Davis, including "Jeru" and "Rocker" by Gerry Mulligan, "Deception" by Miles Davis and "Moon Dreams" by Gil Evans.